Weekly Newsletter (December 3-7)

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Posted by MrLynch | Posted in Weekly Newsletter | Posted on November 30, 2012

Last week students filled out job applications for our upcoming class store, Bungles. Students applied for a position as either a manager, assistant manager, sales representative, or advertising agent. Our goal is to get out class store up and running by the end of 2012. Students will find out their position this week.

Parent/Teacher Conferences are next week – December 10 and 11. If you have not signed up for a conference, need to check your time, or want to change your time visit here. I sent an e-mail out last week, but if you need the password e-mail me.

HolidaBeaProject

Our class will be participating in the Holiday Bear Project, which is a charity that sponsors children who need a little holiday boost. We will be sponsoring a girl and a boy whose families are having a difficult time and would be hard pressed to provide gifts for their kids during the holidays. What most classes do who are involved in projects like this is to have students bring in wrapped gifts. While this is very effective, I do this a little differently. Along with altruism and empathy, I want students to utilize this opportunity to learn some other lessons, too.

At 3:30 PM on (date e-mailed), whoever is interested/available will be meeting me at Walmart in Avon. Using the money we collect we will purchase gifts (also wrapping paper and tape) for these two kids and then the entire class will wrap them up the next morning. I discussed with students about asking family (either you or maybe family that lives nearby) if they can do some jobs around the house to earn money. Students usually have many great ideas themselves. Anything is helpful. Another thing we will be doing is using the iPad, laptops, and other computer devices to look up the names and phone numbers of local businesses. Last week we started working on scripts that students will be using to call businesses to ask for their support in this charitable cause. This will continue on Monday, too. (I will not have any student make a phone call if he/she is uncomfortable.) We made phone calls last year as well and this really helps students work on their speaking skills and confidence. I monitor each phone call and we do it right from the classroom. Most businesses will say no thank you (or use some very clever evasive tactics!), but a few will say yes and that is just another reality that students will experience. For the businesses that do say yes, I will ask students if any of them, driven by you, can swing by and pick up the cash, check, or gift card. If you’d be willing to do this just let your child know so if they volunteer they already have an ok from you.

I understand that not every student will be able to make it to Walmart and that is absolutely fine. All students will be involved in the process both before and after. Let me know if you have any questions about this worthy cause.

 

Upcoming Events

Holiday Bear Walmart Trip – This Week

Parent/Teacher Conferences – Monday, December 10 and Tuesday, December 11

Holiday Luncheon – Friday, December 21

Weekly Newsletter (November 26-30)

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Posted by MrLynch | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on November 24, 2012

I hope that you all managed to escape the Thanksgiving Holiday without too much calorie damage. I certainly did my part. The Powwow Presentations are this week on Wednesday and Thursday morning. The exact time of each Powwow is in this week’s Monday Memo and parents/guardians are invited to come watch their child’s group.

Parent/Teacher Conferences are coming up soon – December 10 and 11. If you have not signed up for a conference, need to check your time, or want to change your time visit here. I sent an e-mail out earlier in the year about this, but if you need the password e-mail me.

HolidaBeaProject

Our class will be participating in the Holiday Bear Project, which is a charity that sponsors children who need a little holiday boost. We will be sponsoring a girl and a boy whose families are having a difficult time and would be hard pressed to provide gifts for their kids during the holidays. What most classes do who are involved in projects like this is to have students bring in wrapped gifts. While this is very effective, I do this a little differently. Along with altruism and empathy, I want students to utilize this opportunity to learn some other lessons, too.

At 3:30 PM on (date e-mailed), whoever is interested/available will be meeting me at Walmart in Avon. Using the money we collect we will purchase gifts (also wrapping paper and tape) for these two kids and then the entire class will wrap them up the next morning. I will discuss with students about asking family (either you or maybe family that lives nearby) if they can do some jobs around the house to earn money. Students usually have many great ideas themselves. Anything is helpful. Another thing we will be doing is using the iPad, laptops, and other computer devices to look up the names and phone numbers of local businesses. We will work on scripts that students will be using to call businesses to ask for their support in this charitable cause. (I will not have any student make a phone call if he/she is uncomfortable.) We made phone calls last year as well and this really helps students work on their speaking skills and confidence. I monitor each phone call and we do it right from the classroom. Most businesses will say no thank you (or use some very clever evasive tactics!), but a few will say yes and that is just another reality that students will experience. For the businesses that do say yes, I will ask students if any of them, driven by you, can swing by and pick up the cash, check, or gift card. If you’d be willing to do this just let your child know so if they volunteer they already have an ok from you.

I understand that not every student will be able to make it to Walmart and that is absolutely fine. All students will be involved in the process both before and after. Let me know if you have any questions about this worthy cause.

Upcoming Events

Powwows – Wednesday and Thursday, November 28 & 29 (exact times in this week’s Monday Memo)

Parent/Teacher Conferences – Monday, December 10 and Tuesday, December 11

Weekly Newsletter (November 19-21)

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Posted by MrLynch | Posted in Weekly Newsletter | Posted on November 17, 2012

It’s a short school week to celebrate Thanksgiving and one of my other favorite days of the year. Black Friday. The crowds, the craziness, the fighting over a waffle iron sale, the ridiculous lines – all part of Holiday cheer. The Powwow presentations will be in about a week and a half on November 28 & 29. Parents/Guardians are invited to come see their child’s group presentation. More specific times will be available next week, but all presentations will take place between 8:40 AM – 11 AM. We have our first Read-Over on Wednesday. It’s like a sleep-over minus the sleeping part. Students can bring in books, magazines, or other reading material along with comfy clothes (like PJs), pillows, sleeping bags, blankets, etc. They could also bring in extra books for an optional book swap in the morning. Healthy snacks are encouraged and can be munched on all morning.

Upcoming Events

Read-Over (1/2 day) – Wednesday, November 21

Parent/Teacher Conferences – Monday, December 10 and Tuesday, December 11

Weekly Newsletter (November 12-16)

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Posted by MrLynch | Posted in Weekly Newsletter | Posted on November 10, 2012

The Powwow presentations are in a little over two weeks. This week students can start bringing in supplies to work on building their model shelters in school. Many groups will discover that hot glue guns work very well, but my rule is that any student using one needs written permission from a parent. Each group will be given all the basic art supplies I can supply at school, but beyond that they must come up with supplies as a group. This usually includes materials which can be found outside (bark, branches, dirt, etc.), paint, plastic figures, and a solid base to build it on. From past experience, students will be much happier if the solid base is made of a rigid material – not cardboard. With all the things that will go on it and all the times they will move it, cardboard never seems to work out well.

Upcoming Events

Read-Over (1/2 day) – Wednesday, November 21 (Details coming soon…)

Parent/Teacher Conferences – Monday, December 10 and Tuesday, December 11

Weekly Newsletter (November 5-9)

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Posted by MrLynch | Posted in Weekly Newsletter | Posted on November 4, 2012

Now that the storm has passed, I hope that everyone is on the road to recovery. For the majority of the greater Hartford area, at least Hurricane Sandy wasn’t a repeat of last October’s fiasco. Unfortunately, everyone outside our area wasn’t as lucky. There is no school on Tuesday for Election Day. This will be the last week focusing exclusively on research for the Powwow Project. Next week students will be allowed to start building their model shelters. I would encourage students to visit the local library and check out some books on their topic. I was showing students how the internet is great, but a google could turn up millions of websites for one word. That could be quite a long search. Finding a book someone already researched and wrote could make the hunt a lot easier.

Upcoming Events

Election Day (No School) – Tuesday, November 6

Parent/Teacher Conferences – Monday, December 10 and Tuesday, December 11

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